James Eugene Bachman, Pastor Emeritus of Roanoke Baptist Church, was ushered into the presence of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 9, 2026, after being diagnosed with stage four cancer in January of 2022. He had served the Lord faithfully ever since trusting in Him for salvation as a seventeen-year-old. His greatest passion was being able to help others have 100% assurance of a home in Heaven.
James was born on March 16, 1942, to James and Esther Bachman in Chicago, IL. The family moved to St. Johns, MI, when he was around three years old. He graduated in 1960 from Rodney B. Wilson High School, where he had been actively involved in multiple sports, and then he began his college studies at Michigan State University. In June of 1961 he married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Messer. He was already serving as youth director of a church in Lansing, MI, at that time.
Feeling a call to full-time Christian service, James dropped out of Michigan State and managed a restaurant in Albion, MI, for two years to help prepare financially for ministerial training. He then attended and graduated from Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College and Seminary. During this time he served in several area churches as youth pastor and then pastored a church in Cloverville, MI, for one and a half years.
Pastor Bachman moved his family to Roanoke, IN, in August of 1976 when he became the senior pastor of Roanoke Baptist Church, where he served for 32 years. In 1978 he started the Roanoke Baptist School, which is still going strong today. Many graduates have gone on to Bible college and are serving the Lord as full-time pastors, pastors’ wives, missionaries, or Christian school teachers or as faithful lay people in their churches. His wife and daughter taught in the school for many years. His two sons are in full-time service for the Lord, his older son as a missionary and his youngest son as an assistant pastor in Texas, where he is also the vice-president of Lone Star Baptist College.
For many years James authored a newspaper article entitled “Parson to Person,” which appeared in the Huntington County TAB and then in the West Bend News. During his later years he founded the Layman’s Web College and authored Suicide Prevention and Helps for Those Left Behind. This book, along with his Tract Club Training Program and other books written by his family members, is carried by Answer Publications, a ministry that he and his wife began and managed.
Many people have used the term “Mr. Faithful” or “Mr. Consistent” to describe Pastor Bachman. He was a faithful pastor, husband of almost 65 years, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather—but mostly a faithful servant to his Lord.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Esther Bachman. He is survived by his wife Sharon, his daughter Vicky (Michael) Pope, his son Mark (Cassie) Bachman, his son Jack (Robyn) Bachman, and his sister Marilyn (Richard) Davidson; his grandchildren Melissa (Jonathan) Wardrip, Kristina (Michael) Grady, Markus (Jessica) Bachman, Kimberly (Andy) Cowlishaw, Sandra (Jeremy) Barker, Carie (Ben) Templin, Christina (Titus) Siebenhaar, Ryan (Abigail) Bachman, Timothy, Amanda, Benjamin (Jaclyn), Philip, Thomas, Daniel, Jordan (Zaira), Theresa, Stephan, Jonathan, Samuel, Joseph, and Sophia Bachman; as well as 25 great-grandchildren with three more on the way.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the FairHaven Funeral Home. Visitation will be held from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, the 14th of March, at the Roanoke Baptist Church, 11015 Lafayette Center Road, Roanoke, IN, with the funeral service starting at 6:30. A private family graveside service will be held on Monday.
Memorial donations may be given through the Roanoke Baptist Church and designated to family expenses or Roanoke Baptist School.